Stop signal



Feb. 26, 1929. 1,703,691

C. L. POST 4 STOP SIGNAL Filed oct. 2. 1922 l @ff/@5,5 95,' /a/zfO/@meme Feb. 26, 1929.

UNITED, STATES y i 1,703,691 PATENT OFFICE.

CLAUDE L. POST, 0l CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STOP SIGNAL.

Application mea october s, 1m. sum1 n. man

My invention relates to improvements in stop signals, and morearticularly to a signal of the kind descrillied which is simple,convenient, reliable, eflicient and satisfactor for use wherever foundapplicable.

Another objectof my invention is to providea device of the kinddescribed which will strikin ly call'the attention of a person in a carto t e rear of that upon -which the device is mounted to the fact thatthe forward car is stopping, and at approximately what speed saidstopping or retardation in speed is takin place.

any other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the art from thedisclosures herein iven. Tovthis end my invention consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown anddescribed, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding acV parts, f

Fig. 1 is a plan view of my device as applied to a car;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially onthe line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Figa-3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 4 4 of Fig.1, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional View taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig.1.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the referred embodiment ofmy invention, 1 indicates the frame or chassis of a car upon which myimproved device is to be mounted, there being a propeller shaft ordriving shaft 2 connected to the driving wheels (not shown) of saidvehicle. 3 indica tes a brake rod or lever. which is movable by hand orfoot or otherwise, as desired, and 4Aindicates -alamp or light adaptedto be mounted upon the frame of the car, preferably at the rear endthereof, as shown. A lead wire 5 is connected to said lamp and at itsother. end is connected at 6 to a contact 7 the same being mounted uponany suitable part of the frame as for instance on a bracket I 8, asshown and-insulated from the fra-me. A contact member 9 is adjustablycarried cured upon the .connects the contact 19 with the lead 10.

A quick stop, but if the speed of lead wire 10 isconnected to the part9, and is in turn connected to a battery or other source'of power 11,which is referably carried on any suitable part of tllie car, as at 13.00 If desired, a switch 12 may be interposed at f any point as at 12,and anindicator 22 may also be interposed in the circuit, so that one matell whether or not the'circuit is in good or er and working pro rly.'Adjustably se- 5 prope er shaft 2 and insulated therefrom 1s a cammember 14, having l,an arcuate lperipheral surface 15 broken orinterrupted :at any suitable point, as at 16. An arm 17 is secured tothe rod 3, so as to 7 be moved thereby whenever said rod is actuated,said member 17 being insulated from said brake rod. Contacts 18 and 19are spaced apart at the outer end of the member 17 and are insulatedtherefrom and from 75- I each other, said members 18 and 19 beinnormally out of contact with the periphera surface 15-16 of the member14 when the brake rod is in its inoperative position, but being movedinto operative contact with said peripheral surface ,Whenever the brakerod is actuated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figs. 1 and3. A wire 2O connects the contact 18 with the lead 5, and a Wire 21 5 8From the foregoing description it will be seen that whenever the brakerod is moved in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 1 and 3that the member 9 will break its ycontact with the member 7 ,putting outthe 90 light 4, and the contacts 18 and 19 will ride upon the peripheralsurface of the member 14, keeping the light 4 on while said contacts areon the portion 15, but'breaking the circuit and putting out said lightwhen the contacts are at the portion 16. In other words, there is asuccession of make and break contacts, which causes the light toflicker. If the propeller shaft is rotating at a high rate l of speedwhen the brake is applied, it is evi- 100. dent that the signal 4 willcorrespondingly flicker at a high rate of speed and that as the .speedofthe shaft decreases the speed of ickering of the signal light willcorrespondingly decrease. Thus a driver to the rear of the car upon-which lthe signal is mounted may accurately determine the speed atwhich the car in front is being brought to a stop, that is, if the eedof flickerin is quickl retarded then t e driver of t e car be ind knowsthat the car is being brouht to a 'ckering slowly decreases then thedriver behind will know that the car inadvance is being brought to a stoslowlyor gradually and hence w1ll govern is speed accordin ly.

During the day the swi 12 may be' turned of so that the lamp is lit onlywhen the brake is applied, causing the light to icker.

During the night the lam may be used as an ordinary tail light byhrowing inthe switch 12 and whenever the brake is applied the light willflicker.

' -It is apparent that the device shown may be ,usedvto operate theordinary rear or tail lights in use, or if desired, a separatelamp byLetters Patent is 1. In a device of the kind described and incombination, an electric signal mounted on a motor-vehicle, a pair ofcircuits in parallel to said signal, a rotary contact member in one ofsaid circuits and drivingly connected to the drive shaft of the vehicleand having an interrupted contact surface, a stationary .contact for theother circuit spaced from said driven contact, and a pair of contactscarried by the brake rode of the vehicle and movable therewith betweensaid spaced contacts, one

of said pair of contacts engageable with said driven contact and theother engageable with said stationary contact, whereby when said brakerod is actuated one of its pair of contacts will disengage from saidstationary contacts to break the circuit thereof and theother willengage the interrupted contact face of the driven contact tosuccessively make and break the circuit controlled thereby.

2. In a self-propelledl vehicle having a drive shaft and a brakingmechanism, an electric signal, means for continuously supplying electriccurrent to said signal2 means including a member mounted upon said drivving sha-ft for intermittently sup lying elecf :seV

trical current to said signal, an means 1ncluding a member mounted uponsaid braking mechanism for simultaneously rendering said first-mentionedmeans functionally inoperative and for rendering said second meansfunctionally operative.

3. In -a self-propelled vehicle having a driving shaft and brakingmechanism, an

mechanism for simultaneouslylectrical current to said signal, means saidcircuits and operably connected to the drive shaft of the vehicle, saidcontact member having an interrupted contact surface,

a stationary contact for the other circuit spaced from said drivencontact, a plurality of contacts carried by the brake rod of the vehicleand movable therewith, one of said brake rod` contacts engageable withsaid-driven contact, and one of said brake rod contacts engageable withsaid stationary contact, whereby when said brake rod is actuated one ofits contacts will disengage from said stationary contacts to break thecircuit thereof and one of said brake rod contacts will move into thepath of said driven contact to successively make and break the circuitcontrolled thereby.

5. In a device of the kind described and in combination, an electricsignal mounted on a motor vehicle, a pair of circuits in parallel tosaid signal, means-for completely breaking each of said circuits and forbreaking one of said `circuits intermittently, said means including aplurality of contacts, a brake rod,

said contacts mounted on said brake rod and movable therewith,saidcontacts in said parallel circuits, and means for engaging certainof said contacts in one of said circuits intermittently when said brakerode is actuated, whereby when said brake rod is actuated one of saidcircuits is completely broken and the other of said circuits isintermittently broken.

6. In a device of the kind described and in combination, an electricsignal mounted on a motor vehicle, a pluralit of circuits in parallel tosaid signal, a plurality vof contacts carried by the brake rod of saidvehicle and movable therewith, said contacts in said parallel circuits,and means including said contacts for interruptedly making and breakingone of said circuits when said brake rod is operated and simultaneouslybreaking all other circuits. y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

CLAUDE L. POST.

